"Mr Gore's called it straight up and down; he's given credit where credit is due. There are very important pieces of Australia's climate laws that are now going to be, well, appear as though they will be saved," he said.

"There is a live debate on an emissions trading scheme and Mr Gore's clearly given his view that he will be disappointed if we lose the existing carbon price.

"And that's now a debate and discussion we have to pick up as Australians and our senators need to pay attention to."